Sheet metal burial vault



Sept. 1, 1936. H. w. ROBINSON SHEET METAL BURIAL VAULT Filed June 3,1955 A ovnags Patented Sept. 1, 1936 PATENT. IGEFHCE SHEET METAL BURIALVAULT Canada In Canada June 5, 1934 Application June 3, 1935, Serial No.24,600

f 5 Claims. (Cl. 2745 My invention relates to improvements in sheetmetal burial vaults of the type known as air sealed vaults, and theobject of theinvention is to provide means for counteracting the weightof the bell as it is lifted on its hinge and, at the same time, ensurethat it is held in a level position when closed to maintain an air sealentirely around the vault between the bell and the base, and it consistsessentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as hereinaftermore particularly explained.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my burial vault.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the vault and showingthe raised position of the vault by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the vault.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

I indicates the vault base made of sheet metal, the central portion I ofwhich is upset inward leaving a surrounding horizontal flange, theportions 2, 3 and 4 being slightly curved up at their outer edges toprevent horizontal movement of the bell and the portion 5 which isturned at its edge to form a semi-cylindrical socket.

6 is the body or bell of the vault provided with vertical walls I, 8, 9and III, the lower portions of which are inclined outward as indicatedat 5*. The portions 6 of the walls I, 8 and 9 are turned inward to fitthe inwardly turned portions 2, 3 and 4 of the base terminating at itsinner edge in a vertical flange 6 which, at the free end of the bell, isutilized as an engaging portion for the lock hereinafter described. Theportion Ii of the wall ID is formed into a segment of a circle greaterthan a semicircle and which fits into the semicircular portion 5 tofunction as a hinge pin. I I are leaf springs secured to the base andbearing against the hinged end wall of the bell adjacent each side ofthe bell. I2 are latch locks secured in the opposite end of the basesubstantially in a line with the springs II.

Normally, when the bell is first set in position, it is held by thesprings II in a slightly upwardly inclined position clear of the latchlock I2 secured to the base I to permit the bell being gripped at itsfront end and raised with the aid of the springs II to the full openposition indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the bell is in thisposition it is supported by the strut I3 which engages the notch I4 inthe block I4. As the bell is lifted the free end of the strut slides upthe incline 14 into the notch I I at it is drawn rearwardly by thespring I5 against the shoulder I4 By lifting the bell further so thatthe free end of the strut rises above the shoulder I4 the spring I5again acts to pull the strut I3 rearward finally when the bell isagainlowered carrying the strut into the dotted position It. As the bell islow-' ered and the strut carried to the position I3 the lower end of theflange 6 of the bell engages the latch looks I 2 to force it inward sothat as the bell is forced downwardly against the lift of the spring IIthe latch locks spring over the upper edge of the flange 6 as shown inFig. 2 locking the bell down. The latch locks I2 being adjacent eachside of the bell, the lower edge of the bell is held level when the bellis in the closed position parallel with the base so that an air seal ismaintained all around the bell.

When moisture tends to enter the hell, it rises between the bell walland the portion I of the base compressing the air within the bell untilequilibrium takes place between the rising moisture and compressed airwhich prevents the moisture rising further into contact with the coffin.A spring being located at the end towards each side of the vault andlatches at the opposite end of the vault opposite each spring ensures ofthe vault not tipping laterally but remaining level so that there is nodanger of the compressed air escaping to decrease the pressure and allowof the water or other moisture rising to the casket level.

The functioning of the springs and latches coact together to maintainthe lower edge of the vault bell in a level position so that one side ofthe bell cannot rise in relation to the other side so as to permit theair escaping beneath the edge of the bell which is raised and thus allowthe moisture to rise further into the vault as above described.

From this description it will be seen that I have devised, in a vault ofair sealed type, a body or bell which is hingedly mounted at one end tothe base without the use of hinge pins, which provides means forcounterbalancing the major portion of the weight of the bell during thelift so as to make it easy to lift with a minimum amount of effect, andin which the means for operating the strut support is hidden from viewand operates said support smoothly and silently.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. In a burial vault, a base, an undivided bell having a wall at eachend, one of which is hinged at its lower end to the base, a lipextending inwardly from the lower edge of the opposite end wall, a pairof spring latches carried by the base at the opposite end to the hingeand adjacent each side of the base and engaging the lip, and

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leaf springs carried by the base at the hinge end and in alignment withthe latches and bearing against the corresponding end wall of the bellabove the hinge.

2. In a vault construction of the class described having a base portion,a bell portion pivotally connected at one end thereof to thebase-portion and latching means adapted to secure said bell and baseportions together, means associated with said portions at one endthereof and cooperating with said portions to aid in opposing.

the weight of said bell portion when" it is to be raised about itspivotal end to permi'tof the rep ception of a casket upon said baseportion.

3. In a vault construction of the class described having a base portion,a bell portion pivotally connected at one end thereof to the baseportion Y and latching means adapted to secure said ybell and baseportions together, spring means coop-.-

erating with said bell and base portions-at the pivotal end thereof tooppose the weight of said bell portion when it is to be raised about itspivotal end to permit of the reception of a casket upon said baseportion;

' 5. In a vault construction of the class described 10 having a baseportion, a bell portion pivotally connectedat one end thereof to thebase portion and latching .means adapted to secure saidbelland-base-portions together, a pair of flat springs anchored to-saidbase portion and en- 15 gaging an end wall of said bell portion at thepivotal end to permit of the reception of a casket upon said baseportion, said springs being mounted in a position one each opposed toeach latch whereby the bell is brought to rest evenly on the 20 base atall sides. I h w v WALTER; ROBINSON. f

